Bagging machine with feed and feed cutoff operated by motor-driven and brake retarded receptacle support



May 22, 1951 2,553,684 BAGGING MACHINE WITH F ND FEED CUTOFF OPERATED BYMOTOR DRIVEN AND BRAKE RETARDED RECEPTACLE SUPPORT f? F'TO/ENEVS m m L Un O s m 1 0 .D d P 6 E n F Z5 Z6? 0-i- WNW Patented May 22, 1951 BAGGINGMACHINE WITH FEED AND FEED *CUTOFF OPERATED BY MOTOR-DRIVEN AND BRAKERETARDED 'RECEPTACLE SUPPORT Peter J. Soulen, Wauwatosa, Wis., assignorto Pal-O-Pak Insulation Company Inc., Hartland, Wis., a corporation ofWisconsin Application October 13, 1945, Serial No. 622,210

3 Claims. (01. 226-25) The present invention relates generally toimprovements in the art of packing bulk commodities in containers suchas bags, and relates more specifically to improvements in theconstruction and operation of mechanism for bagging relatively loosefibrous material such as building insulation or the like.

The primary object of my invention is to provide an improved baggingmachine for diverse bulk materials, which is simple and durable inconstruction and highly efficient in use.

Some of the more specific objects of the invention are as follows:

To provide improved mechanism for introducing batches of relativelyloose and fibrous materials into receptacles such as open ended bags, ina manner whereby approximately uniform batches are inserted into each ofthe successive receptacles.

To provide an improved bulk material bagging assemblage which issemi-automatic in operation, and which functions to fill the successivebags both rapidly and efiectively.

To provide an improved bagging machine which is conveniently operablewith minimum attention, and which is also safe and reliable inoperation.

To provide an improved bagger for diverse bulk materials which aredelivered in a substantially continuous stream from a source ofproduction, and which has enormous capacity considering its simplicityand compactness.

To provide a new and useful bag filling mechanism which is durable inconstruction, and which may also be readily installed and operated atmoderate cost.

To provide an improved insulation bagging assemblage especially adaptedto handle fibrous bulk material, and which may be readily adjusted andoperated to vary the density or compactness of the batches beinginserted within the successive receptacles.

These and other specific objects and advantages of the invention will beapparent from the following detailed description.

A clear conception of the several features constituting my presentimprovement, and of the construction and operation of a typical materialbagging machine embodying the invention, may be had by referring to thedrawing accompanying and forming a part of this specification whereinlike reference characters designate the same or similar parts in thevarious views.

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a typical fibrous insulation baggingmachine showing the material supply and feed tube packed with the bulkproduct, and also showing the bafile carriage in approximatelymid-position;

Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic side elevation of a portion of the improvedbagging assemblage, showing only a fragment of the feed tube andalsoshowing the bafile carriage in approximately midposition;

Fig. 3 is a transverse section through the mechanism taken along theline 33 of Fig. 2, but showing the location of the limit switches onboth sides;

Fig. 4 is a wiring diagram showing the approxi mate arrangement of theactuating motors, switches and other electrical apparatus involved: inthe improved bagging system; and

Fig. 5 is an enlarged side view of the electric: motor and brake forrestraining the downward, movement of the bag retarding bafile plate orele ment along the inclined supporting trough.

While the invention has been shown and described herein as beingadvantageously applicable to electric motor operated machines forconfining batches of fibrous building insulation material in successivebags, it is not my desire or intention to unnecessarily restrict th useor utility of the improvement by virtue of this specific embodiment.

Referring to the drawing, the typical motor driven insulation baggingassemblage shown therein, comprises in general a slightly downwardlyinclined stationary bulk material feed tube or cylindrical spout 6having its upper end in communication with a supply hopper 1 and itslower outlet end 8 open, while the interior of the tube is provided witha feed member or screw 9 adapted to be operated by an ordinary electricmotor [0; a similarly inclined fixed bag supporting trough ll mountedupon a suitable frame l2 with the upper trough end spaced slightly belowthe open spout end 8, the upper side portions of the frame [2 beinprovided with parallel tracks l3 which are also slightly inclined in thegeneral direction of the trough H; a bag retarding element or bafileplate [4 mounted upon a carriage l5 having supporting wheels l6 coactingwith the tracks 13; a pair of roller chains I! each having its oppositeends attached to the carriage I5, and coacting with sprockets l8journalled in the upper and lower ends of the frame 12; a reversibleelectric motor l9 having its rotor drivingly connected to the lowersprockets I8 by suitable tooth or chain gearing 20, and being providedwith a friction brake 2| which is adjustable to vary the motor speed;and three limit switches 22, 23, 24 mounted on the main frame I2 inoperative'relationship to the carriage l5, and being cooperable with apair of foot-operable floor switches 25, 26 to control the operation ofthe assemblage.

The inclined feed tube or spout 6 is cylindrical and of such diameterand length that th successive bags which are to be filled with materialmay be slipped snugly over the spout until the bag bottoms span theoutlet end 8 of the tube; and the hopper i which communicates with theupper inlet end of the spout 6, may communicate directly with thedisintegrating chamber of; a hammer-mill in which fibrous insulation ispro: duced from newsprint, or with any other suitable source of bulkmaterial supply. The fixed and slightly inclined bag supporting trough Hbe formed of sheet metal bent g shallow tro gh shape, and the troughsupporting frame i2 may be produced from structural steel, while thecarriage l5 and its bag retarding bafile plate M may also be formed ofsturdy sheet metal. when the carriag wheels It advance along the guidetracks. 13, the ca ia e and b f P a l4 should travel in approximatelycentral aline: m-ent with the feed tube or spout 5, and the car: ria g ei5 is provided with suitable cams or well known construction, adapted toactuat the limit switches 22, 23, 2 at predetermined moments. Theselimit switches are adjustably mounted upon supporting b ack s E s -r dto the frame '2 seas to insure automatic functioning of the, con,- trolswitches at the proper moments, and the switches 22, 23 constitutecontrols for the move: ments of the carriage l5 and plate i4 while theswitch 24 controls the operation of the feed member or screw 9 in amanner to b subseouently d sc e While the feed screw driving motor It is1'0.

tatable in one direction only, the carriage and retarding elementoperating motor i8 is of a reversible type since it is adapted toadvance the carriage l5 and the retarding plate it in oppositedirections under certain conditions of oper: ation. The friction brak 2!for retardingthe carriage motor speed, comprises a brake shoe 3i ca r edby a m 3 pivotelly sus ende a one end from the frame 52 and having anadjustable tension spring 33 secured ,to its opposite swinging end forpressing the shoe 3| into frictional engagement with a drum es securedto the motor rotor, see Fig. 5. The tension of the spring is adjustablein order to positively predetermine the pressure to which the fibrousmaterial is subjected while being forced into the successive bags by thefeed screw 5. The carriage control limit switches 22, 23 cooperate withthe motor [9 through a reversing relay 28, while the feed screw controllimit switch 2 3 likewise cooperates with the motor it through a relay25, both of which are of well known construction and are showndiagrammatically in Fig. i. The motors ID, [9 are mounted in relativelyprotective ZQI'IBS or localities, and the sprockets i8 and gearing gt,are normally enclosed by suitable safety house ings as shown in Fig. l;and an overflow chute 5%} may be provided at the junction of the spent$5 and trough H, for material which may spill out of the loaded bagsbefore they are finally tied and removed from the trough.

When the improved mechanism has been properly constructed and assembledas above dee scribed, and fibrous bulk material is being delivered tothe pp hoppe l, the ba in chine may be placed in operation by merelyslipping the successive bags over the material-feeding spout 5 and bythereafter properly actuating the several switches. After an empty baghas been applied to the spout 3 and the retarding baflle plate [4 hasbeen brought intocontactwith the bag bottom which spans the outlet spoutend 8 by operation of the motor I9, the motor Ill will be automaticallyoperated by closing of the limit switch 26 and will thereby. cause thefeed screw 5 to revolve and to force fibrous material from th tubularspout 8 into the bag. As this loading of the bag with bulk materialproceeds, the bag is progressively slid along the feed spout e. and thecarriage, i5 and retarding baffle plate M are caused to rhove downwardlyalong the inclined tracks l3 toward the lower end of the machine, by thebull; material being introduced Qthe bag. lihis downward movement of asalon the fi ppo ts trou h H, is however retarded through the gearing 20by the friction brake 2t applied to the rotor of the meter. t9; which isidle during the loading period, and this retardation definitelydetermines the Perkins era ur i rl i h t e Pr s-lest is ie ta Wh th bebeing loaded? Af e ch bag assessments o ded s predetermined by theinitial adjustment'and proper positioning of the limit switches, a a e;We i awm as he arri e fi s e the limit switch 24 and stopsthe motor H]and he eed s r w 9; a d th tor i r thereafter closes the floor switchgit er, y ro; tating the. motor is in one direction the carriage Ill andbailie plate i l to m e rap away from the bottom end of the 'mat i1 bagresting upon the trough III. When the baflie plate L41, has been thussurliciently withdrawn from the loaded bag, another. o l t [5automatically actuates the limits stops the reversing motor Ill and cthereby causing both motors l2, idle. The insulation laden bag may thenb pletely withdrawn from the open endffi of the fee Spout E 5, and theopen bag end may be sealed and tied or otherwise closed, whr'eu beloaded bag may be readily removed fro vated inclined supporting trough JI, an r, equ nt emp y bag h d e a plied 10'. f onto. h Show 5- I Y V Theoperator should then step. on ti e other floor switch 25 thus causir gthe motor I' 9,' t0 rota e i t o t d ection and t mor i carriage l5 and,baiifie element 14 upwardlyal the tracks I3 toward the closed bagbottom. the upwardly advancing carriage l5 passes the o t switch '24, thtripping ,cain thereof is, ith: drawn and the switch 24closes thereby a,omatically starting the motor [8 and p1 ing f we t- W 9 in p tet nl thama i l 3% ins n ec e i w ih a whe the le at 1!! and ca riage iii reachthe upper limit of t'ra e1. Another cam on the carriage" l5 thenopensthe u pe lim sw t 3 t t the rat rs mol Ilfafterwhich the brake 2| againbecomesefiective to retard the downward loading motion of th has and bll pl t r a bo desir d, The bag loading cycle maythen be repeat withrespect to successive bags each of which s auto matically loaded withthe saine fll l llt v of bulk w rs? peek i d fun e n r s u 's ide i-J Mits brake rri' gad wfi1mw F om the foregoin d ta l d desbriptien ishould be a pa e the; ,i ir f i ifivsiilidii provides an in r red bulkma erial a es. mechanism ch bes des b in simpl 9 9F and d rab e in o sru t on. is a s hi h .r cient linoperatian and flexibl i s adaptationsExcept for the manual operations reguired to pply the empty bass to theed spout and-t9 remove the filled bags-from theelevatcdsupmrt;

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3 ing trough i l, and the foot operation of the floor switches 25, 255,the machine functions automatically to load the successive bags withuniform batches of the fibrous material in a rapid and effective manner.The brake 2i and the limit switches 22, 2 3 may be quickly andconveniently adjusted to vary the filling pressure and the predeterminedquantity of bull; material admitted to each run of bags; and theinclined disposition of the spout 6 and trough H and the I elevation ofthese parts considerably above the floor level permits ready applicationof the empty bags to the feed tube and removal of the loaded bags fromthe machine. The improved mechanism because of its simpli ity mayobviously be manufactured, installed and operated with minimum attentionto fill bags with diverse materials at moderate cost; and the assemblagehas proven highly satisfactory and successful in actual commercial use.

It should be understood that it is not desired to limit this inventionto the exact details of construction or to the precise mode ofoperation, herein shown and described, for various modifications withinthe scope of the appended claims may occur to persons skilled in theart.

I claim:

1. A bull; material bagging system comprising, a stationary cylindricalfeed spout inclined downwardly toward its outlet end at a slight anglerelative to the horizontal and having a diameter adapted for snugsliding coaction with the interiors of the successive empty bags appliedthere to with the bag bottoms spanning said outlet end,

a feed member operable within said spout to deliver bulk material fromsaid outlet end into each bag and to thereby gradually fill and slip thebag from the spout periphery, a similarly slightly inclined fixed troughextending away from said outlet end beneath and parallel to said spoutand upon which the lower side portion of each bag rests and is slidablewhile the bag is being filled, a bag retarding element guided formovement along said inclined trough and being movable downwardly alongthe trough by the bottom of the downwardly advancing bag resting withinthe trough, an electric motor having a reversible rotor drivinglyconnected to said retarding element and being positively rotatable inone direction to move said element away from the bottom of each materialladen bag and in the opposite direction to advance the element towardsaid spout opening whenever an empty bag is applied to the spout, and abrake coacting with said motor rotor when idle for frictionallyrestraining the downward movement of said retarding element and of thebag coacting therewith in opposition to the moving force applied to thebag by said feed member.

2. A bulk material bagging system comprising, a stationary cylindricalfeed spout inclined downwardly toward its outlet end at a slight anglerelative to the horizontal and having a diameter adapted for snugsliding coaction with the interiors of the successive empty bags appliedthereto with the bag bottoms spann ng said outlet end, a feed memberoperable within said spout to deliver bulk material from said outlet endinto each bag and to thereby gradually fill and slip the bag from thespout periphery, a similarly slightly inclined fixed trough extendingaway from said outlet end beneath and parallel to said spout and uponwhich the lower side portion of each bag rests and is slidable while thebag is being filled,

a bag retarding element guided for movement along inclined trough andbeing movable downwardly along the trough by the bottom of thedownwardly advancing bag resting within the rough, an electric motorhaving a reversible rotor drivingly connected to said retarding elementand being positively rotatable in one direction to move said elementaway from the bottom of each material laden bag and in the oppositedirection to advance the element toward said spout opening whenever anempty bag is applied to the spout, a brake coacting with said motorrotor when idle for frictionally restraining the downward movement ofsaid retarding element and of the bag coacting therewith in oppositionto the moving force applied to the bag by said feed. member, andelectrical control mechanism for automatically starting said feed memherand for deenergizing said motor whenever said retarding element has beenadvanced to its fullest extent toward said spout oulet end.

3. A bulk material bagging system oomprising, a stationary cylindricalfeed spout inclined downwardly toward its outlet end at a slight anglerelative to the horizontal having a diameter adapted for snug slidingcoaction with the interiors of the successive empty bags applied theretowith the bag bottoms spanning said outlet end, a feed member operablewithin said spout to deliver bulk. material from said outlet end intoeach bag and to thereby gradually fill and slip the bag from the spoutperiphery, a similarly slightly inclined fixed trough extending awayfrom said outlet end beneath and parallel to said spout and upon whichthe lower side por' tion of each bag rests and is slidable while the bagis being filled, a carriage guided to travel along said trough andhaving thereon a retarding plate engageable with each bag bottom andmovable downwardly by the downwardly sliding bags resting within thetrough, an electric motor having a reversible rotor drivingly connectedto said carriage and being positively rotatable in one direction to movesaid plate away from the bottom of each material laden bag and in theopposite direction to advance the plate toward said spout openingwhenever an empty bag is applied to the spout, and a brake coacting withsaid motor rotor when idle for frictionally restraining the downwardmovement of said carriage and of the bag coacting with said plate inopposition to the moving force applied within the bag by said feedmember.

PETER J. SOULEN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

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